Lico – ground support equipment made in Germany

The company LICO is a small fam­ily business, located in the Bavarian city of Unteraching near Munich. It is one of the main suppliers for ground support equipment for Airbus Hel­icopter (Eurocopter).

SERVICING PLATFORMS

In the 1980s the two engineers Kabilka and Lissewski had the idea, to develop a variable servicing platform for the at the time extremely popular helicopter model BO105. The first model was built in 1982. One of the first customers of the new, height-adjustable work platforms was the police helicopter de­partment of Bavaria. Until today, the police helicopter squadron of Bavaria uses these plattforms delivered in 1983. Platforms by LICO are almost always custom-made for a variety of application scenarios and opera­tors. For the German armed forces, LICO de­livered 32 servicing platforms for the NH90. This year, platforms that can be pulled apart and are optimized for outdoor use, will be delivered for the first time.

GROUND SUPPORT

The production of transport wheels is a comparatively new sector of the company. It began in 1997 with a model for the BK117 and BO105. At that time LICO was already a supplier of EADS. Later, wheels were devel­oped for the EC135. Today, LICO has deliv­ered more than 100 sets of transport wheels for those models. Since 2012 they build wheels for the EC145 and since 2013 for the EC145T2 and the H145/H145M. The wheels are all equipped with hydraulics to jack up and move a helicopter easily and comfort­ably.

For helicopters with landing gear or as supplement to hydraulic transport wheels, Lico offers tow bars. Airbus Helicopters ist the biggest customer of Licos specialized prod­ucts, using equipment for its military as well as civilian helicopters such as EC135 / H135, EC145 / H145 and EC145T2 / H145M.

Lico is also planning to make its mark in the fixed wing sector.

During this years helitech, the family company will present its current portfolio at its own stand.

Since August 2013 the company is in the process of establishing Otto Kabilkas son, Thomas, as the successor at the top of the management.

From:CATERINA JAHNKE, 3/2015, Rotorblatt